Kenyan professionals are increasingly voicing their frustrations over the US Embassy’s visa denial process, which they claim is opaque and unfair.
The issue came to the forefront on September 27 when blogger Cyprian Nyakundi highlighted the experience of a Kenyan nurse whose visa application was rejected without a clear explanation.
According to Nyakundi’s post on X, the nurse had planned to travel to the United States to sit for an important nursing exam.
However, despite completing the lengthy and costly application process, she was handed the notorious pink paper—a symbol of visa rejection—during her interview at the Embassy, leaving her without any feedback on why her application was declined.
The US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman with President Hon William Ruto. Photo: The Star Source: Facebook
“This year I should have travelled to the US on a visiting visa for my nursing exam,” the nurse wrote in her message to Nyakundi.
“After a lengthy process, I went for an interview with the Embassy this week, and without an explanation, they gave me the pink paper, meaning it’s declined. This process is very expensive and depressing when you have not only lost your time and resources, but you’re also denied an opportunity with no tangible reasons given.”
Nyakundi’s post has since sparked widespread discussions online, with many users sharing similar experiences of being denied visas without sufficient justification.
Applicants feel that the Embassy’s refusal to provide detailed feedback leaves them unable to address any shortcomings in future applications.
The public outcry has put pressure on the US Embassy to increase transparency in its visa issuance process, especially for professionals seeking career and educational opportunities.
Affected Kenyans are now urging both the Embassy and the Kenyan government to take action and ensure that genuine applicants receive fair treatment.
